Washington Post: Santorum Says GOP Should Raise the Minimum Wage

While Republicans ignore the majority of Americans who support raising the minimum wage, will they ignore fellow Republicans? This week, Rick Santorum is following in Tim Pawlenty’s footsteps and calling for his colleagues to raise the minimum wage. From the Washington Post:

“Another former GOP presidential candidate says his party should look at increasing the minimum wage -- even as all but one GOP senator voted against the Democrats' recent plan to increase it to $10.10.”

“On the ‘Daily Rundown’ Monday, Rick Santorum said Republicans hoping to appeal to working-class voters -- a group Santorum targets in his new book -- should be okay with occasionally upping the minimum wage.”

“Santorum said the minimum wage should cover about 7 percent of the American workforce that it historically has -- more than the 2 percent it currently covers. (Others have made a similar point that the minimum wage hasn't kept pace with inflation.)”

“‘Whatever gets you to 7 percent, and then if it falls back, you have to look at the situation,’ Santorum said. ‘If we’re in an economic crisis, you may not want to raise it. If things are going better, you probably do want to raise it. But let’s not make this argument that we’re for the blue-collar guy, but we are against any minimum wage increase ever. It just makes no sense.’”

“Last week, former governor of Minnesota TimPawlenty (R) also called on conservatives to back a minimum wage increase.”

We couldn’t agree more. We hope more of their GOP colleagues will join them in supporting a raise for 28 million American workers.